Salamanders

Salamander

many species

Salamanders are terrestrial as adults, but eggs and larvae are aquatic. Larvae have both gill slits and external gills. A few species are completely aquatic, retaining these features as adults. Some salamanders are boldly colored and patterned and easy to identify, but many are simply small and brown and very difficult to tell apart, like this one.

A tiny larval salamander

A tiny larval salamander at Dutch Springs. Possibly some kind of Dusky Salamander.


Beaver

Castor canadensis

Size: 3-4 ft ( total length )

Habitat: in and around water

Notes:
Famous for their dam-building habits, beavers were once a major ecological force in North America, reshaping a very large proportion of the land to suit themselves. Unfortunately for them, they also became a major economic force - much of the early exploration of the continent was done by fur trappers. Today, beavers are rare, and virtually non-existent in New Jersey, although there are a few colonies.